Teaching & Learning Day

AI in the Stacks

Utilizing AI in Research Workflows and Library Databases

Michael Myers Digital Literacies Librarian michael.myers1@senecapolytechnic.ca

Workshop Description

In line with the T&L Day theme of engaging with AI for authentic learning, this workshop will demonstrate how AI has become a part of conducting research and how students and faculty can utilize AI with vetted trusted library resources. In other sessions we have discussed how important Information Literacy is for AI literacy, and this session aims to put those ideas in practice by using Information Literacy and AI literacy in the research processes.

Information Literacy is AI Literacy

Agenda

Copilot with Library resources

AI features in Library databases

AI research tools

References

AI in Higher Education

• 85% of students are using generative AI for their coursework – 2025 Inside Higher Ed Survey
• But only 11% of students use AI tools designed for research use – 2025 Librarian Futures AI Report
• And 65% of students do not find Chatbot outputs trustworthy enough for academic work - 2024 Harvard University Library Student Survey

• 91% of academic leaders think AI will enhance learning
• But only 40% of faculty are using AI in their coursework – 2025 AACU Leading Through Disruption Report

Copilot with Library Resources

Copyright Reminder

Due to licensing contracts, any paid content that the Library subscribes to for your use, should not be uploaded and hosted on a third party platform.

When we login to the Seneca provided Copilot space, there is no storing of information or re-purposing the content into an LLM. Using this space with paid content is more in line with Copyright and licensing contracts.

Copilot with Library Resources

Utilizing Copilot with academic research available through the Seneca Libraries is a great way to position Copilot as a research assistant, and to ensure Copilot is using trusted and vetted sources of information rather than LLM training and bad source of information online. One of the easiest ways to use Copilot in this fashion is to use the side bar option in Microsoft Edge.

Copilot with Library Resources

AI Features in Library Databases

Mintel

• Market analysis specifically on North American markets and industries, offers great market reports with consumer insights and trends
• Mintel launched their new AI feature known as Leap
• Leap is a closed-loop AI platform that offers quick market insights
• Built exclusively on Mintel’s proprietary research and human analysis
• Provides trusted information as its outputs and greatly reduces the risk of AI hallucinations

Library Databases

Statista

• In-depth coverage of many different topics, areas, and research focuses.
• Provides many reports, statistics, and analysis on wide ranging topics
• Statista launched their new AI feature known as Research AI
• All responses use Statista’s proprietary, editorially vetted data, minimizing hallucinations and ensuring high reliability
• Each response includes links to the top 10 most relevant charts or reports, complete with citations and source details
• Powered by Claude 3 Sonnet (LLM) with human oversight

Library Databases

JSTOR

• Comprehensive digital library offering scholarly content across disciplines such as humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, including academic journals, books, and primary sources
• JSTOR launched their new AI feature known as AI Research Tool
• Find relevant materials faster by highlighting key points from the text
• Discover related topics and content within JSTOR
• Ask questions and get answers about the document you're viewing
• Designed to enhance—not replace—the research process

Library Databases

Science Direct

• A full-text scientific database offering peer-reviewed literature across disciplines such as health sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering
• ScienceDirect launched their new AI feature known as Reading Assistant
• The Reading Assistant is available when you access an article, and uses the article content to answer questions or to summarize
• Responses are also regularly tested against two rigorous evaluation frameworks, in an attempt to reduce the risk of hallucinations

Library Databases

ProQuest Databases

• There are several different types of ProQuest databases, each with a specific coverage, which can include: business, consumer health, Canadian news, etc.
• ProQuest launched their new AI feature known as Research Assistant
• Easily craft more effective and targeted searches
• More effectively review, analyze, and interrogate documents
• Quickly evaluate the usefulness of each document for your research
• Receive guidance on next steps including choosing a research topic and understanding key concepts

Library Databases

AI Research Tools

ITHY.com

• Ithy is an AI-powered research assistant that aggregates responses from multiple leading AI models—like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity—to deliver high-quality, well-rounded answers
• Features:

• Multi-Model Aggregation
• Fast & Deep Research Modes
• Interactive, Multimodal Articles

ITHY.com

Litmaps

• Litmaps is an AI-powered academic research tool that helps users discover, visualize, and track scholarly literature through dynamic citation maps
• Features:
• Citation Mapping
• Automated Discovery
• Collaboration Tools
• Zotero Integration

Elicit

• Elicit is an AI-powered research assistant designed to streamline academic workflows, especially literature reviews and data extraction
• Features:
• Semantic Search
• Paper Summarization & Data Extraction
• Systematic Review Automation
• Custom Reports & Tables
• Collaborative Notebooks

Elicit

Preplexity

• Perplexity AI is a conversational search and research assistant that combines real-time web search with advanced language models to deliver accurate, sourced answers in a natural, easy-to-understand format
• Features:

• Cited Answers
• Deep Research Mode
• Model Selector
• Multi-Turn Conversations

NoteBookLM

• NotebookLM is Google’s AI-powered research and writing assistant designed to help users understand, organize, and present complex information using their own source materials
• Features
• Source-Grounded AI
• Multimodal Outputs
• Citation-Based Responses
• Collaboration & Sharing

Thank you!

Michael Myers Digital Literacies Librarian michael.myers1@senecapolytechnic.ca

Micro-credential

Don't forget to apply for the micro-credential on the T&L Day website!

Be sure to take a few minutes to send us some feedback on today's event!

References

• 2025 Inside Higher Ed Survey

• 2025 Librarian Futures AI Report

• 2024 Harvard University Library Student Survey

• 2025 AACU Leading Through Disruption Report